The government’s estimate for the maximum time it should take to deliver free school meals voucher codes has risen from 72 hours to four days.

In an update sent to schools today, the Department for Education (DfE) says it can take “up to four days” for schools to receive eCodes after placing an order.

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However, a guide to frequently asked questions on the website for Edenred, the voucher supplier, still states that families should contact schools if their codes have not arrived with 72 hours.

The government also said all orders placed up to last Sunday (19 April) have now been delivered - but this has been disputed by teachers on social media.

Today’s email states: “If you have ordered eCodes and are waiting for them to be delivered, this can take up to four days. All orders placed up to 19 April have been delivered.”

The existing guidance on the Edenred website states: “If it still hasn’t arrived within 72 hours, please contact your school to ensure that they have your correct email address.

“If necessary, the school administrator can resend the eCode to your correct email address. If this still doesn’t work, your school can contact Edenred.”